


Everybody Talks

by vulpixel



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Background Chrom/Robin - Freeform, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-14 04:15:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29911284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vulpixel/pseuds/vulpixel
Summary: Come with me on a journey where Sumia gets absolutely no breaks while simultaneously struggling with being a woman in her 30's. Luckily, Cordelia is here to help and maybe kiss a couple times! Chrom is there too and his character gets more tolerable as time goes on I promise you lol
Relationships: Sumia/Tiamo | Cordelia
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

How many bad dates can Sumia go on in one week? As discouraged as she is, she still feels a strange determination to beat her record. It gives her quite a bit to talk about at parties (on the rare occasion she goes to one), as depressing as that sounds. With her friends and her parents almost constantly setting her up on dates, she has no trouble beating her record. At least she gets a free meal out of the deal. After watching her last date cut his toenails at the dinner table, anything seems like a decent date. As always, the bar is set low for her date today.

Sumia walks into the restaurant, hopes low as usual. She looks around for the date she will be stuck with for the next hour or two. She prays for someone at least average in looks. Hopefully, he will chew with his mouth closed. Maybe her hopes are too high.

The hostess points her toward a table with a man sitting alone. The man eagerly twiddles his thumbs as he looks around for Sumia. Part of her wants to turn around and walk right out. Too late; they already locked eyes. No turning back now. Sumia sits down and puts on a smile.

“Hello.” She greets him. “I assume you’re Rick?”

“Indeed I am. It is quite the honor to meet a woman as gorgeous as you are.” His voice is surprisingly deep for his small frame. He holds his hand out in an attempt to take hers.

Sumia brushes him off, going for a friendly fist bump. Her eyes fall to a bright red pimple on his nose. It is quite the distraction. “You also look, uh, nice. I like the shirt you’re wearing. It’s grey.”

“Not as pretty as your eyes.” He leans closer, gazing at her. “I could get lost in those eyes.”

Sumia laughs awkwardly and covers her mouth as she tries not to throw up in her mouth. “Thank you.”

This is going to be a long date.

\----

One awkward hour later, and the check finally hits the table. Sumia is itching to leave. The date was short yet it took years off her lifespan. Rick, as disgustingly chivalrous as he is, pays the check. Sumia sighs with relief. She considers it payment for enduring his constant barrage of overly poetic compliments and intrusive speculations on her personal life. He’s definitely a writer. Rick hops up to grab Sumia’s coat. He insists on helping her put it on. He holds it hostage until Sumia plays along. She knows she would not get her coat back otherwise.

“Would you like me to drive you home?” Rick offers.

Sumia nearly has a heart attack.

“Oh, no. I drove here,” She lies. She takes a step toward the exit.

“Then, let me walk you to your car!” The man steps in front of her, purposefully blocking her path.

“You really don’t need to do that.” She maneuvers around him only for him to follow.

“At least give me your number so I know you arrived home safely.” He pulls out his phone. “You said you would give it to me so we could set up another date.”

When did she say that? The man must have imagined it. Sumia tries to slip around him, but he is much too keen. Slowly, she inches her way toward freedom. “I can do that. I just, uh, forgot to bring my phone. You know me, always forgetting things.”

He doesn’t know her at all.

“But you were using it earlier during the date. Did you lose it at the booth? Let me go get it for you.”

“Oh! Yeah! I totally forgot it at the table. Silly me. I am much too forgetful these days.” Unfortunately for her, that part is not a lie.

“Say no more. I will go retrieve it for you.” He rushes off toward the table.

Sumia sighs in relief. She finally makes her bolt for the exit. Instead of finding her freedom, she hits a roadblock in the form of another person. The two crash together suddenly. The impact is hard enough to make her dizzy. She stumbles into a pair of sturdy arms. She looks up to see a taller redhead staring down at her concernedly. Red hair falls down to tickle her nose.

“Oh, sorry. I’m so sorry,” Sumia apologizes profusely. She sneezes.

The woman shakes her head. “You don’t need to apologize. I came over to ask if you were okay. Is that man harassing you? You seem very uncomfortable.”

“It’s fine, really. I was just leaving.”

Rick returns, looking defeated. “I couldn’t find your phone. Do you have a pen and paper? I’ll just write it down for you.”

He notices the other woman. She glares daggers into him. She interjects before Sumia can answer. “I don’t believe that will be necessary.”

“Excuse me?” He stutters.

“I said go away.”

Rick looks to his former date. “Sumia, what’s going on here?”

“Isn’t it obvious? She’s my date,” she blurts out and immediately covers her mouth from the shock. She blames the impact. It must have given her a concussion.

“But we just-”

The redhead scoffs and waves her hand dismissively, “Don’t be silly. Run along.”

Rick sputters out a fountain of half sentences, still shocked by the blatant rudeness from the two women. Eventually, he gives up and leaves without saying another word.

Sumia blinks, surprised at what just happened. The tension eases from her shoulders. She sighs, “Thank you for that.”

“So I’m your date now?” The redhead asks, an amused grin on her face.

“I didn’t know what else to say,” Sumia answers, suddenly feeling embarrassed, “I’m sorry. We can just pretend that never happened.”

“Oh, it’s quite alright. I’m just glad he left. He seemed annoying.”

“He was.” Sumia rolls her eyes at the thought of him. She finally starts to untense now that she is safe. “Is there any way I can repay you for this? I feel like I owe you.”

“That's not necessary.”

“Please. I insist.”

“Fine. Tell me your name,” the woman responds. Her words are blunt. It feels more like a command than a friendly gesture. It throws Sumia off.

“Oh. Uh-” She struggles to remember her own name. She definitely has a concussion. “It’s Sumia.”

“Cordelia.” She holds her hand out. “A pleasure to meet you.”

Sumia returns the gesture. “That’s a beautiful name.”

Cordelia glances up subtly. She opens her mouth to say something, but is interrupted by two people approaching. Sumia barely notices until it is too late.

“Sumia?” Comes a familiar voice.

The woman freezes at the sound of her name. A surge of panic fills her body. Slowly, she turns around.

“Hello, Chrom!” She laughs nervously. “What a surprise seeing you here.”

The man stands before her with another woman at his side. _Her_. Of course Chrom has to bring his new girlfriend on a date at the same time and same restaurant as Sumia. Just her luck. Today has gone absolutely fantastic so far. Getting hit by a truck would be an improvement at this point.

“What a happy coincidence!” Chrom smiles as if nothing happened between them. “What are you doing here?”

Sumia responds after a short pause, “Just getting lunch. We just finished, actually.”

“I’m also getting lunch with Robin. You know how hard it is with our busy schedules. Gotta make time for your loved ones where you can.”

“Definitely.”

“Speaking of dates, are your friends still setting you up on those little blind dates? I might know someone I can set you up with,” Chrom intrudes further. The question irks her. She knew it was coming, but he still managed to take her by surprise. Sumia knows he has good intentions, but she feels there is a sense of righteousness in his motives. He pities her. Sumia cannot stand it.

What does she say? She can’t tell him the truth. She cannot bear to see Chrom’s pitiful face any longer. She needs to cling to her last shred of dignity while she can, even if that shred of dignity is a complete facade.

“Oh, that’s hardly necessary,” she says, glancing at Cordelia. The other woman seems to get the message. She puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Sumia continues, “I’ve actually found someone since we broke up.”

“She means me,” Cordelia states, just in case it was not obvious. Subtlety does not seem to be her strong suit.

“Wait.” Chrom’s eyes bounce between the two women as he slowly puts the puzzle together. It takes him much longer than it should. He glances to Cordelia’s hand and then back to Sumia. “You’re dating a woman? Since when?”

“Since a couple of months ago.” Sumia nods, trying to act confident. She hates lying. She is absolutely sure Chrom can see through her terrible facade. “And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with me dating a woman.”

Chrom raises his eyebrows in disbelief. “So I was that bad, huh?”

“Chrom,” Robin quietly speaks up, nudging him in the side, “Don’t say that.”

“Ah, sorry. I didn’t mean it,” he quickly apologizes.

“We should get going. We have a reservation to make,” Robin says. She turns to the two women and nods politely. “It was nice seeing you as always. I hope you enjoy the rest of your date.”

“You too.” Sumia manages a smile.

They say their goodbyes and part ways. Sumia finally breathes again once the couple is out of sight. She bends over, trying to regain control of herself. Her whole body is drenched with sweat. She feels as if she just ran a marathon.

Cordelia puts a comforting arm on her back. “Are you alright? I apologize for being so forward.”

“It’s okay. I’m fine. I just need to sit down.” Her thoughts race through her head. The room spins around her.

“Let’s find somewhere safe to do that. Away from prying eyes.” Cordelia leads her outside. They find a nearby cafe to sit down in. Sumia slumps into her chair. She leans her head on the table pathetically.

“Sorry for being such a bother. I didn’t mean to drag you into my love life so suddenly. Even if he didn’t believe me.”

“I think he believed you,” Cordelia says, “Although, I’m not sure why you wanted him to think you were dating someone.”

“I want him to think I’m happy. I can’t stand that he has a trophy girlfriend while I’m stuck with nothing,” the woman complains, her voice wavering. She blinks back tears.

“His life isn’t as good as you think it is.” Cordelia puts a comforting hand on hers.

“Compared to mine it is. I need a boyfriend.”

“You don’t need a trophy boyfriend to be happy. Your worth isn’t defined by who you date.”

“But I want a boyfriend.”

“Why?”

“To shove in Chrom’s stupid face.”

“That’s not a good reason to date someone.”

“I think it is.”

“Are you still in love with him?” Cordelia wonders.

“No! Absolutely not!” Sumia quickly responds, her face turning a bright red, “I’m just frustrated I wasn’t enough for him. He’s so much happier without me, and I’m stuck with nothing. And as if it couldn’t get any worse, he uses every opportunity he gets to shove his amazing life in my face. I bet he laughs about me behind my back.”

“Don’t worry about what he thinks. His opinion doesn’t matter. Just focus on yourself, and things will work out.”

Sumia puts her head in her hands and sighs. “I hope so.”

“Or just cut him out of your life completely,” the other woman says with a shrug, “Out of sight. Out of mind.”

“I wish it was that simple.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, he’s kinda my boss,” Sumia mentions quietly.

“Oh, dear. I’m so sorry. I can only imagine how awkward it is.”

Sumia has nothing left to say. Her mood sinks to a new low. Perhaps this really is the worst date she has been on since her breakup.

“Would some tea or coffee help cheer you up?” Cordelia asks, interrupting the woman's wallowing in sorrow.

“You don’t have to do that for me,” Sumia politely refuses.

“I don’t, but I want to. Also, the barista is giving me dirty looks. I do not think we can stay much longer without buying something.”

“Get something for yourself. I’ll be fine.”

“Sumia, I insist. Let me buy you something. I’m not gonna leave you while you’re still feeling like this.”

“You can just leave. You don’t even know me.”

That statement seems to puzzle Cordelia, but Sumia does not notice. Cordelia shakes her head. “Then, let’s change that. I already know your name. That’s a good start. What else should I know about you? Where do you work?”

“I’m a secretary at a dumb office job. I write emails and answer phone calls. It’s quite boring,” Sumia answers, “Where do you work?”

“I work in construction.”

“Woah. Really?”

“Yeah. I operate a crane. You know the big one downtown by town hall?”

“I know the one. That’s you in there?”

“That’s me.” Cordelia nods.

“That’s so cool.”

“You really think so?” Cordelia says, trying not to sound impressed with herself, “It just pays the bills.”

“I think it’s cool, so it’s cool. I can’t imagine building anything or controlling heavy machinery. I would probably knock over a building by accident.”

“Well, we do have openings in demolition.”

“Perfect. I’m clumsy enough for the job.”

“I doubt you’re that clumsy.”

“You’ll regret saying that someday,” Sumia laughs. She leans back in her chair, forgetting there is no back on the chair. Panic hits her, but it is too late. She tumbles onto the floor with a crash. Customers turn their heads to see what the commotion is. No one comes to help her.

Cordelia immediately jumps up to assist her. She holds a hand out to pull Sumia back up. Sumia takes her hand. She cannot shake a feeling of deja vu.

“You didn’t have to show me,” Cordelia says, trying not to laugh, “I believe you.”

“I didn’t do that on purpose.” Sumia rubs her head.

“Did you hit your head? Do you have a concussion?”

“I’m fine. This happens all the time,” Sumia groans, “I should wear a helmet wherever I go.”

“It might be a good investment.”

“Oh, hush, you.” She glares at Cordelia, but cannot hold the facade for long. “I feel like I owe you for all this. Today has been quite terrible until you showed up.”

“You don’t owe me anything,” Cordelia insists.

“Cordelia.”

“Fine. I wouldn’t say no if you were to buy me tea.”

“What kind?”

\----

They end up spending a while at the café. They eat scones while sipping on tea. Cordelia tells various work stories to distract Sumia from her troubles. Time passes by quickly. It isn’t until Cordelia’s phone rings, that Sumia realizes how time has gone by.

“Shit. It’s work. I gotta take this.” Cordelia puts the phone up to her ear.

Sumia tries her best not to eavesdrop. She stares down at her tea.

“They need some extra hands to move stuff under tarps before the storm hits.”

“Oh, ew.”

Cordelia shrugs. “I like working. I don’t know what to do with myself otherwise. Also, money is always good.”

“I guess I’m the same way,” Sumia sighs. It’s either that or going on terrible dates.

“That being said, I do need to get going.” The redhead stands up. “But Before I go, is there anything else I can do for you?”

“I’ll be fine. I’m feeling a lot better now.”

She pulls her phone back out. “Let me give you my number in case you have another dating emergency.”

Sumia bursts out laughing, “Oh, please. I would be calling you every day.”

“I wouldn’t mind that.”

“You’re funny.” She pulls out her phone. “Give me your number. I owe you a dinner for helping me with Chrom.”

“Sounds like a date,” Cordelia says in a slight attempt at making a joke.

“One that will hopefully not go horribly wrong like everything else in my life.” Sumia laughs pitifully.

Cordelia puts a hand on the other’s shoulder. “I wish you luck in your hunt for a decent boyfriend. If I see Chrom again, I promise you I will run him over with my bulldozer.”

“That sounds hot. Send me pictures,” Sumia says, only partially joking.

“I will. Until next time, Sumia.”

“Goodbye, Cordelia. It was nice meeting you.”

“You as well! I hope to hear from you soon.”

Sumia leaves the café feeling much better than before. Except for the piercing headache.


	2. Chapter 2

Sumia stares at her phone. Cordelia’s number sits on the screen. Part of her wants to send a text out of politeness. The other feels like enough of a burden already. She opens the messaging app only to never send the message.

\----

After a particularly stressful week, all Sumia wants is to relax and have some time to herself. The television clicks on with her favorite TV show. She sinks comfortably into a mound of blankets while she watches the Golden Girls. Finally, she is at peace. No more work. No more Chrom. Just Blanche, Rose, Dorothy, and Sophia here to whisk her troubles away. If no one has her back, the Golden Girls do. She settles in for a long night with a bowl of popcorn in her lap.

Until her phone rings. Part of her is tempted to throw her phone across the room. Instead, she makes the rational decision and answers it.

“What do you want, Sully?” She hisses.

“Well, you’re in a bad mood,” her friend responds, “Lucky it wasn’t your boss calling again. You know what’s a good cure for a bad mood? Going out with me tonight.”

“I already told you, I don’t wanna go out for drinks tonight. I’m too depressed. You know what happens when I drink while sad.”

“I won’t let you depression drink. Promise. Just one or two drinks, we’ll dance to some music. Maybe hit on some hot men and women. Who knows? The world is our sandwich, Sumi, and it’s time to dig in! It’s got extra pickles and the works. You definitely wanna get in on this.”

“I’m not in the mood.” Maybe in the mood for an actual sandwich. Her stomach rumbles at the mention of pickles.

“Then, get in the mood! As your friend and very legitimate doctor, I’m prescribing you a fun night with a friend.” Sully does her best to cheer her up. It hardly works.

“I just wanna watch Golden Girls and fall asleep. I’m not even wearing a bra,” Sumia says, reaching for the remote. It sits just out of her reach. She is too lazy to move.

“You can’t fall asleep, Sumi. It’s not even eight o’clock. You’re old, but not that old. Save it for when we’re seventy. Put on a bra, and let’s go!”

“I’m not even a month older than you,” she groans, “And don’t remind me how old I am.”

“I said not that old! Thirty-two isn’t old!” Sully reasons, “We’ll be back before midnight, Cinderella. I promise.”

Sumia flops over on the couch, still unconvinced. “Are you buying?”

“I’ll buy everything, baby. That’s how much you mean to me. I’ll make you feel special! Lay out the red carpet. Pamper you like the queen you are. You can wear a cute dress and forget about whatever jerkwad bothered you this week. Tonight is all about you, babe.”

“You should’ve led with that.”

“Wonderful! I’ll pick you up at nine.”

Before she can protest, her friend hangs up. Sumia sighs and drops her phone on the floor. She has no choice. After staring blankly at the ceiling trying to gather the energy to get up, she finally stands up. Her bedroom, as usual, is a mess. She has not had the energy to clean it. She scours her closet for something to wear. She ends up picking out her special dress. Usually, she wears it to the office Christmas party, but this will do for tonight. It’s a simple dress with little detail, but it fits Sumia perfectly. Also, it has pockets. Sumia accents it with her favorite necklace. It sparkles under the light. She checks herself out in the mirror, finally starting to feel good about herself. Hell, she might be gorgeous. Maybe she will have fun tonight.

\----

They arrive at the club just as the party is getting off the ground. They make it in right before the line grows unbearably long. Loud dance music assaults their ears. It’s nothing either of them can recognize. Sumia can feel the beat vibrating her entire body. People crowd the dancefloor, already too drunk to care who watches them.

Sully heads straight to the bar, dragging Sumia along with her. Sumia lets her, knowing she’ll need a few drinks to survive the night. Sully orders a line of shots, wanting a quick start to the adventure ahead of them. Sumia stares down at the glasses, feeling a little nervous. She has no idea what is inside. Her friend takes a glass, nodding to Sumia to take her own.

“Bottoms up!” Sully downs her shot. Sumia does the same. After a shot or two, she admits to feeling better. The buzz of alcohol does wonders to the brain. The cinnamon aftertaste lingers in her mouth.

“How’s that?” Sully punches her in the shoulder. “Just like old times!”

“Sully, we do this all the time.”

“Once a month is not ‘all the time’,” she says, “Besides, This is much more fun now that you don’t have your little boy toy Chrom following you around.”

“Don’t even mention him,” Sumia groans.

“Why? If I say his name too many times he’s gonna suddenly appear?”

“Yeah. He’s like Beetlejuice.”

“You’re being ridiculous. Chrom isn’t gonna appear out of thin air because I mentioned his name.” Something catches Sully’s eye. She stares behind Sumia in horror. “Do not turn around.”

Of course, Sumia whips around. Panic strikes. “Don’t tell me. Where is he? We gotta get out of here before he sees us.”

Then, she spots him by the door accompanied closely by his girlfriend. Robin glances in their direction. Sumia quickly turns back around, hoping she didn;t catch a glimpse of her.

“What’s wrong with him seeing you?” Sully asks.

“Because he’ll see me being sad and drinking away my single-ness.”

“Then, we’ll find some hot guy for you to grind on, and you’ll forget all about him.”

“I don’t do one night stands, Sully.”

“I’m not saying you have to sleep with him. I’m just saying a little action will take your mind off things for a bit. Maybe you’ll feel his boner or something. I don’t know what you’re into.”

“I need another drink before I’m into that.” Sumia flags the bartender over. Her buzz is already starting to wear off. She orders a margarita. Sully orders a drink for herself as well. They sit at the bar and drink together.

“How about him?” Sully points to a guy at the corner of the bar.

“He has a girlfriend. He’s literally kissing her right now. Do you not see that? Oh, ew. I know this is a skeevy bar, but we’re still in public. Gross. Oh, god.”

The image is burned into her mind. She is scarred for life.

“Him?”

“No,” Sumia gags, “He looks old enough to be my dad.”

“How about her? She’s pretty hot.”

“I don’t do girls, Sully.”

“I meant for me. She’s exactly my type. Tall. Broody. A redhead. Nice tits too if I do say so myself. I bet she could break me in half. Or maybe I’ll break her in half. I’m game either way.” Sully unabashedly checks out a woman at the other end of the bar. “Oh, and a good taste in alcohol. Is that bourbon I spy?

Sumia perks up. “Wait, a tall redhead?”

“Yeah.”

“Kinda sultry?”

“Yep.”

Suddenly, she makes the connections. “I know her.”

“Really? Is she single?” Her friend asks excitedly.

“No. Don’t flirt with her. I’ll be right back.” She slides out of her seat, taking her drink with her. She nervously approaches Cordelia.

It takes a moment for the woman to notice her. She seems lost in thought as she stares off in the other direction. She idly swirls her drink in her hand. The loud music makes it hard to grab her attention.

“Cordelia!” Sumia yells over the music. She violently pokes her in the back to grab her attention.

The woman finally turns around, seeming a bit surprised. She lights up when she sees Sumia. “Oh, hey! I haven’t seen you in a while! Any luck finding a boyfriend?”

“Not at all. In fact, I stopped looking.”

“Good for you! There’s nothing wrong with taking some time for yourself,” Cordelia says.

“It sucks actually.” Sumia downs the rest of her drink in one gulp. The cold margarita immediately gives her a headache. She regrets everything. “I gotta tell you something.”

“What is it?”

“Chrom’s here.”

“Chrom is-”

“My ex and my boss. He’s here with his perfect new girlfriend. I hate my life. I just wanted one night of fun, and he has to go and show up.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Cordelia asks.

“Yeah. Kiss me,” Sumia says, completely straight faced.

“What?” The redhead blinks at her. “How will that help?”

“I need Chrom to see us making out so he’ll get jealous and we can rub it in his face. I know I’m a better kisser than Robin.”

“How do you know that? Have you kissed her?”

“No.”

“Not yet, anyway. You should kiss Robin just to prove it.”

“Cordelia, you’re a genius. I’ll cuck Chrom so hard. That’ll show him who’s boss.” Sumia smashes her glass down on the counter, earning her a worried look from the bartender. “I’ll be right back.”

“Wait, Sumia, stop. I didn’t mean it.” Cordelia grabs her by the neck of her dress before she can walk away.

“What?”

“It was a joke. Please don’t do that.”

“Oh. Lame. I think I’ll do it anyway.” Sumia goes to walk away again.

Cordelia pulls her back and holds her firmly by the shoulders. “Sumia, how much have you had to drink?”

“Not a lot,” the woman answers, obviously lying. The empty glass in her hand does little to help her case. “In fact, I should have another.”

Cordelia, completely believing her, slides her a drink. “You can have mine. Some guy bought it for me, but I really don’t want it.”

Sumia feels a ping of jealousy, but cannot say no to a free drink. “I wish I was hot enough to get a guy to buy me a drink.”

“You’re very pretty, Sumia. Would you like me to buy you a drink?”

“Yes. I want a Long Island Iced Tea.” She downs her current drink at an alarming rate. Cordelia watches on in horror yet also seems mildly impressed. The drunkenness starts to set in in full force. Sumia feels happy again. She pulls on her friend’s arm.

“Hey! You gotta meet my friend Sully! She’s great and sexy and definitely wants to make out with you. C’mon!”

“Oh, uh, okay.” Cordelia lets the woman pull her along. They make their way to the other side of the bar. To Sumia’s surprise, her friend is missing.

“She must’ve found some hot chick to go dance with her,” Sumia guesses, “Actually, I wanna go dance now. Do you wanna dance with me, Cordelia?”

“I don’t really dance.”

“Will you dance with me? I hate dancing alone.”

“I’ll dance with you.” A random man conveniently steps into the conversation.

“Do I know you?” Sumia genuinely asks him. She squints under the dim lights of the club.

“You will in a moment.” He holds his hand out to take hers. “I’m Thomas. And who are you?”

“Sumia. I think.” She looks down at his hand, not sure what to do. Her drunken brain struggles to process anything. “I’m still not sure why you’re talking to me.”

“Because you’re the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever laid my eyes on. Please let me have a dance with you.”

“You think I’m pretty?” Sumia coos, suddenly delighted.

“The prettiest.” The man grins. There is a glint in his eye.

“I would love to dance with you!”

Cordelia stops her by putting a firm hand on her shoulder. She looks at the man. “She promised me a dance first.”

“She did not,” the man scoffs at her.

“She did. Besides, I’m her girlfriend. I believe I have priority here.”

“You're her friend. So what? She obviously came here to hook up anyway. I’ve been watching her all night. She’s practically begging for it.”

“You’re a terrible listener. I said girlfriend. Not just friends,” Cordelia huffs. She shoots a terrifying glare at him. “Sumia’s inhibitions may be gone, but I refuse to let you take advantage of her in this state. She is not asking for anything your vile mind may be thinking of doing. You are fully aware of that.”

He gives her an ugly look and spits at her feet. “You’re no fun. Call me what you finally get that stick out of your ass.”

He turns to leave.

Sumia frowns. “That wasn’t very nice of him to say. Do you want me to go beat him up? I’ll do it.”

“That’s hardly necessary, but thank you,” Cordelia answers simply. She continues to glare at the man until he is completely out of sight.

“Who am I gonna dance with now?” Sumia pouts.

“You could dance with me. However, I’m not the best dancer.”

“I bet you’re a great dancer! You can do anything you put your mind to,” Sumia bubbles. She drags Cordelia to the dance floor. Cordelia regrets not drinking her second drink.

Drunk Sumia does something that somewhat resembles dancing. Her clumsy nature only worsens with alcohol mixed in. She swings her arms around as she gyrates wildly, effectively worrying Cordelia. The redhead stands at attention while Sumia continuously bumps into her. She awkwardly taps her foot to the beat. Sumia belts out the wrong lyrics at the top of her lungs without a care in the world. Luckily, the music is too loud for anyone besides Cordelia to be able to hear it.

What little grace Sumia has left leaves her body as someone bumps into her. She trips over her own foot, making her fall into Cordelia. She looks up at her, giggling like a schoolgirl. Her face is flushed from the alcohol. “Why aren’t you dancing?”

“I am dancing,” Cordelia insists despite all evidence proving otherwise.

“No. Standing still is not dancing, silly. You look awkward standing there like a tree. You gotta move with me. Have fun with it. Be like one of those crazy inflatables in front of car dealerships. I love those little dudes. C’mon!” Sumia takes both her hands and starts to sway with the music. Cordelia follows her lead. Slowly, Sumia inches closer until they are pressed together. The crowd only pushes them closer. Cordelia tries to let go of herself. Eventually, she finds herself having fun.

Sumia giggles as they dance. A smile is permanently stuck on her face. “Now, you’re getting it!”

She thoroughly enjoys herself through the entire song. However, the drunken exhaustion starts to set in after a while. Her movements lag. She grows too tired to remain on the dance floor. The fast beat quickly outpaces her. As the song goes on, Sumia leans more into Cordelia. Her eyes droop and she lets out a yawn. Still, she tries to continue dancing. Cordelia throws an arm around her and leads her out.

“That was fun,” Sumia says, leaning hard into the other woman, “I’m a little tired, but another drink should fix that.”

“You are not getting another drink.” Cordelia puts her arm in front of her to stop her. “We should go find your friend.”

“Aw, you’re no fun.”

“I know. It’s not my strong suit.”

“That’s why you need to hang out with me and Sully more. Let’s go find her.” Sumia stops paying attention to where she is walking. One wrong drunken step, and she plummets toward the floor.

Cordelia, as always, catches her. She can’t just let her fall. She would hate for the poor woman to get hurt in such a state.

“How are you so strong?” Sumia gasps when she realizes what just happened. She sits comfortably in Cordelia’s arms, bringing her hand up to feel the other woman’s muscles. “You must work out. That’s what Sully does. You should feel her muscles. They’re so big.”

“I work in construction. Heavy lifting is part of the job. The muscles came by chance.”

“That’s kinda hot. I’m not gay, though. It’s just a sexy quality in general that I can appreciate in someone regardless of gender.”

“Sumia, are you okay?” Cordelia stands the woman back on her feet. “You’re acting strange.”

“If appreciating muscles is strange, then I am guilty as charged,” Sumia says, bubbling with laughter, “Wanna make out?”

“No, thank you.” Her friend politely declines.

“Why not? Is it because I’m ugly?” Her mood immediately goes downhill. Tears start to form.

Cordelia panics. “No. I, uh, Sumia, you’re really beautiful.”

“Then why won’t you kiss me?” Sumia cries.

“Because we’re in front of all these people. I get nervous in front of others.”

“No one’s gonna care,” she whines, tugging at Cordelia’s shirt, “You’re just coming up with excuses because I’m ugly.”

“Sumia, you are drop dead gorgeous. Stop saying otherwise.”

“Then kiss me.”

“What is it with you and kissing?”

“I like being kissed. I haven’t been kissed in so long, Cordelia. Please save me. Break my curse.”

Cordelia sighs. She cannot help but smile at the woman’s persistence on the matter. “Fine. I’ll kiss you.”

“Finally!”

She leans down to kiss Sumia on the cheek. Sumia beams with excitement.

“Woah!” Sully comes out of nowhere. A strange woman with long pink hair hangs on her arm. “I thought you said you didn’t do girls.”

“Sully! We were looking all over for you!” Sumia stumbles over to hug her friend.

“I was looking for you too, but I see you found someone. Do you care to explain yourself?”

“Oh, I forgot to introduce you! This is my girlfriend, Cordelia. Her name is very long and hard to pronounce. What about your new friend? She’s cute.”

“Wait. Girlfriend? Like, not just gal pals? Sumia, what the hell is going on? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“We haven’t been dating long,” Cordelia says, trying to stay vague on the details, “I wasn’t sure if I was ready to tell anyone yet.”

“That makes sense.” Sully buys it. She holds her hand out to greet her. “Either way, I’m glad to finally meet you, Cordelia.”

“Nice to meet you as well. Sully, was it?” Cordelia returns the gesture.

“This is great.” Sumia beams. She takes both women’s hands and pulls them closer. “My best friend and my girlfriend finally get to meet. Oh! We can go on double dates. It’ll be so much fun. Uh, who is your girlfriend’s name? I don’t think I’ve ever seen her before.”

“Girlfriend should be taken very loosely.” Sully laughs. She nods to the woman still standing awkwardly next to her. “This is Olivia. We just met.”

Olivia perks up, seeming nervous about being put on the spot so suddenly. Her voice is calming like a mother’s lullaby. “Hello. Nice to meet you all. Don’t mind me.”

Sully sighs, “I suppose I should take Sumia home before she does something she regrets. Oli, could I call you up some other time, maybe? You seem like a wonderful person, but I gotta take care of my friend.”

“I understand. That’s the right thing to do,” Olivia says, trying not to sound disappointed, “I won’t hold a grudge if you take her home instead of me.”

“Wait,” Cordelia interrupts, “I haven’t had much to drink tonight, so I could take Sumia home for you. I would hate for us to get in the way of your plans.”

“Really? You would do that?” Sully replies.

“It’s really not a problem. Plus, she’s my girlfriend. That kinda makes her my responsibility too.”

“My girlfriend!” Sumia chimes in helpfully. She leans harder into Cordelia.

Sully pauses a moment, contemplating the offer. “Alright. I trust she is in good hands.” She slaps Cordelia playfully on the back. With a firm grip on her shoulder, she leans in close to whisper in her ear. “But please know that if anything goes wrong, I will pop your head off with my bare hands.”

“It won’t come to that. I promise you,” Cordelia assures her.

“Good.” Sully smiles at her again. “I’ll see you soon, hopefully. Goodbye, Sumia! Don’t have too much fun.”

“Bye, Sully! I won’t! I’m a good girl!”

“I think you already had too much fun.” Cordelia sighs. She pinches the bridge of her nose, knowing she has a long night ahead of her.

Sully disappears into the night, taking Olivia with her. Cordelia lets out a deep breath. “I’m not sure what I just got myself into.”

“I’m starting to feel sad again. I need another drink.” Sumia starts walking toward the bar.

“Sumia, no.” Cordelia pulls her back by the collar of her dress. “We’re going home.”

“Ooh! Road trip!”

“Let’s get you in my car.”

The statement is simple, but nearly impossible to execute. Cordelia practically carries Sumia to the car. The drunk woman nearly forgets how to walk. Danger looms with each wobbly step. She seems to trip over thin air. Cordelia catches her for the fifth time.

“Sumia, you need to be more careful. Stay close to me,” Cordelia instructs her.

“I am being- woah!” Sumia tumbles down once more.

Cordelia catches her for a sixth time. “That’s it. I’m not taking any more chances.”

“What do you mean- woah-”

She snatches the woman up and slings her over her shoulder. Sumia squeals with glee as she hugs onto her. Her limbs dangle uselessly around Cordelia. They walk the rest of the way to the car without incident. Cordelia carefully balances Sumia on her shoulder while she fumbles with her car key. Once the car is unlocked, she sits Sumia into the passenger seat. Immediately, Sumia slumps over. Her adrenaline rush starts to fade, and she lets out a loud yawn.

Cordelia uses all her patience to keep the woman in check. She leans over her to buckle her seatbelt in. “Why are you such a sloppy drunk?”

“I can’t help it,” Sumia mumbles. Her eyes droop. “I’m tired and sad again.”

“Don’t be sad, Sumia. You just need some rest, and you’ll be fine.”

“I’m sad, Cordelia. I’m lonely. Everyone I know has someone they care about more than me. I hate being the second choice. Even Sully went off with someone else at the end of the night.”

“Sully loves you. Even if she hangs out with other people.”

“I want her to love me more. I want to feel important and wanted.”

“You’re important to me.”

“No. I’m just a burden to you.”

“A burden I chose to carry. In both a literal and figurative sense. Would I not be here if I didn’t care about you?”

“Don’t ask me questions while drunk. I’ll cry about it if I want to,” Sumia hiccups. She closes her eyes once more.

“Let’s get you home, Sumia. You need rest.” Cordelia climbs into the driver seat. The car hums to life. The headlights flash on.

“Where do you live?” She asks.

A pause. No answer.

“Sumia.” She shakes her shoulder. “Wake up.”

“Stop it. I’m trying to sleep.” Sumia tiredly slaps her hand away.

“And I am trying to get you home.”

“I don’t have a home. I have a shitty apartment.”

“That’s a home.”

“Doesn’t feel like it. I would rather sleep here.”

“Sumia, could you please help me out here? I can’t let you sleep in my car.” Cordelia sighs, trying to keep her composure. She pinches the bridge of her nose.

“Fine. I’ll sleep in your apartment.”

“How about we sleep in your apartment instead?” She tries to reason with her.

“But I don’t remember where I live,” Sumia whines pathetically.

“You- I-” Cordelia has no idea how to answer her. She shifts the car into gear. “Fine. We’ll go to my place.”

“Yay,” Sumia mumbles tiredly. Her voice trails off as she falls asleep. “Road trip.”

\----

Sumia opens her eyes to see herself halfway up a stairwell. In fact, she is still moving. The quiet rhythm of boots on steps fills the stairwell. She glances down to see a strong blurry figure carrying her. A strand of red hair tickles at her nose. She sneezes, making it echo down the empty stairwell.

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” Cordelia says. She continues up the stairwell.

“I wasn’t asleep,” Sumia insists stubbornly. She fails to hold back a loud yawn.

“You need rest.”

“I’m fine.”

“Sumia, only one of us can be stubborn in this relationship, and I’m too stubborn to let it be you.”

“Can you at least set me down? I can walk.”

“I’m going to have to refuse your offer.”

“What? Put me down. I feel like a child.”

“I’m not treating you like a child. I’m treating you like a drunk person.”

“I’m not drunk anymore,” Sumia responds, “I just have a headache.”

“I’m surprised you’re even awake right now considering how much you drank.”

Cordelia shifts her weight to accommodate the woman hanging over her shoulder. Carefully, she fishes in her purse for her keys. The hall is strangely quiet. The whole world seems to be asleep. Sumia has no idea what time it is. She hangs helplessly on Cordelia’s shoulder as she waits to be set down. Eventually, her wish is granted. Cordelia sets her down as soon as the door opens. Immediately, Sumia’s legs buckle in and she tips over onto the wall.

“Wait.” Sumia looks around the strange apartment. The realization hits her suddenly. “This isn’t my apartment.”

“You couldn’t remember where you lived, so I figured this was easier,” Cordelia answers simply. She locks the door behind them. “Just leave your shoes by the door.”

“I can remember where I live. It’s, uh, a street. With a road or something. There’s a corner store. The owner makes a killer panini. Oh god, Cordelia, I can’t remember where I live. I really am drunk.” Sumia nearly breaks down into tears.

Cordelia puts a supportive arm around her shoulders. “It’s okay. Don’t strain yourself too much. Let’s get you to bed. You’ll feel much better after you get some rest.”

That, of course, was a blatant lie. With the amount of alcohol Sumia consumed, she was destined for the worst hangover once morning hits. She will be lucky to survive the night. However, to Sumia’s advantage, she is too drunk to worry about that now. Instead, she tiredly leans into Cordelia as the woman leads her to the bedroom.

Cordelia’s bed is surprisingly comfortable. The soft mattress does wonders for Sumia’s back. She lies on the bed, watching Cordelia fumble through her dresser.

“I’ll let you borrow some clothes to sleep in. That dress does not look particularly comfortable,” Cordelia says. She digs through a drawer, pulling out an oversized shirt and shorts.

“You don’t have to do that for me.”

“Sumia, I’m allowed to take care of you. I’d feel bad if I didn’t.”

“I’m not a charity case. Don’t give me your pity,” Sumia says with a huff.

“I’m not pitying you. I’m just helping you.” Cordelia sets the clothes down on the bed next to her.

“It is pity. Just admit it to me. I’m pathetic. I know you're thinking it. Just tell me.”

“You’re not pathetic, Sumia,” the woman says, “You’re a wonderful woman who just happened to drink too much. I’ve only known you for barely a week, but I can see the good in you.”

Still, Sumia protests. “I’m not wonderful. Stop being nice to me. No one wants me. They just tolerate me.”

“That’s just your anxiety talking.”

“Well, my anxiety is right.”

“I can’t force you to believe me,” Cordelia hums, “But could you at least change out of that dress? That looks so uncomfortable.”

“Fine.” Sumia sits up to take the clothes.

“Thank you.” Cordelia turns away while the other woman changes.

Once finished, Sumia lies back down on the bed. She stares at the ceiling. “Chrom ruined my life when he left me. I really can’t live without him. He leaves me, and now all I can do is make a fool of myself in front of strangers.”

“You can live without him, Sumia. You don’t need a man to define your worth. Especially if that man is Chrom.”

Sumia sniffles. She wipes away a tear. “I’m sorry, Cordelia. I’m just an emotional mess. I’m sorry I keep dumping all this on you.”

“You may be an emotional mess, but you’re my emotional mess. Don’t feel bad about letting your feelings out. Emotions are natural.”

“Could you just lie next to me for a while? I miss sharing a bed with someone.”

“Sure.” Cordelia lies down on top of the blankets. She seems stiff, refusing to budge.

Sumia turns around to look at her. She is no longer crying, but her eyes are still red. Cordelia reaches out to brush a stray strand of hair out of her eyes. Her touch is delicate.

“Are you feeling better now?” She asks.

“A little.”

“Will you be able to sleep?”

“I think so.” Sumia tucks herself into the comforter. The warm blankets lull her into sleep. She can barely keep her eyes open.

Cordelia sits up. “Goodnight, Sumia. If you need anything, I’ll be right out there.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to sleep on the couch.”

“Don’t leave me. I don’t want to be alone. What if I fall out of bed?”

“You’re not alone, Sumia. My bed is just small. I won’t be far away.”

“It’s still more comfortable than the couch.”

“I don’t mind the couch. I have a comfortable couch. It’ll do for tonight.”

Sumia says nothing, Instead, she stares up at the other woman. Her eyes do all the talking for her. Cordelia looks away, willing herself not to fall into such a simple trap. However, her obligations to her friend come first.

“Fine,” she says, lying back down, “I’ll keep you company. Just please promise me you’ll get some rest.”

“Thank you.”

“Goodnight, Sumia.” She tucks herself into the sheets. She flops over to give Sumia plenty of room to sleep.

“Goodnight, Cordelia,” Sumia yawns. Her eyes droop. Finally, she gives in to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

The morning sun shines harshly into the room, giving Sumia a rude awakening. She takes a moment to gather herself before the headache strikes. Then, the realization hits her. She quickly sits up, only to see a strange room around her. Immediately her head throbs with pain. She doubles over and grabs her head.

A flash of red hair catches her eye. She looks over to see Cordelia lying next to her. The woman sits up and rubs the grogginess out of her eyes.

“Good morning, Sumia. How are you feeling?” She asks calmly as if there was nothing horribly wrong with this situation.

“Oh, uh, I’m fine,” Sumia responds, suddenly feeling wide awake. She tries to ignore her headache. “I drank a lot, didn’t ?”

“You did. Sorry about that.”

“Listen, I just need you to know I’m not the type who does one night stands usually. Especially with other women. Although, I can’t say I haven’t thought about it once or twice, specifically with you, but not enough to actually try it. Fuck. What am I saying? Forget all that. Let’s just pretend this never happened.”

“Sumia,” Cordelia says sternly, “We didn’t sleep together. Well, we slept in the same bed, but there was nothing sexual about it. Even if you wanted to, you were much too drunk to consent. In fact, you were too drunk to remember where you lived. That’s the only reason I took you to my apartment. Sorry to worry you.”

“Fuck.” Sumia swears under her breath. “I knew I shouldn’t have gone out last night. Stupid Sully always dragging me into things. I still love her though.”

“You seemed to have a lot of fun last night. Maybe a little too much, but no one got hurt. You have nothing to worry about.”

“But I’m such an embarrassing drunk. I’m sorry you had to see me like that.”

“Sumia, it’s fine. You worry too much.”

“I worry just the right amount for someone in my situation.”

“Okay, worrywart. Would you like some coffee?” Cordelia gets out of bed and awaits an answer.

“Yes, please.” Sumia nods. She’ll need it.

Cordelia disappears into the other room, leaving the woman alone. Sumia, feeling suddenly anxious, gets up to follow her. At that moment, she realizes her lack of pants. She looks down to see herself in only her underwear. Her loose shirt does little to cover her modesty. Her face turns a bright red, and she starts to have second thoughts as to what occurred last night. Worst of all, she forgot to shave.

Sumia desperately searches around to find anything to cover her. She ends up finding a pair of gym shorts; hopefully, Cordelia won’t mind her borrowing them. She throws them on before joining Cordelia in the other room.

The smell of roasted coffee grounds fills the air. Sumia cannot wait. She hobbles into the kitchen, staring at the coffee maker like a zombie. As the time for coffee approaches, Cordelia readies herself. She grabs two mugs, both plain in looks; Cordelia always seemed to be the practical type. She hands one to Sumia and sets the other on the counter. Next, comes cream and sugar. She fetches the cream from the fridge, setting it next to a small container of sugar. Sumia watches with great anticipation.

Finally, the coffee is ready. Cordelia pours a cup for Sumia first. Then, Sumia eagerly takes her cup and dumps creamer in. She mixes in a decent dose of sugar. Once finished, she cups the warm mug in her hands as she waits for it to cool. The warm mug makes her sleepier.

Cordelia puts the smallest pinch of sugar in her coffee, and somehow, she manages to pour in even less creamer. She takes a sip as soon as she gets the chance. The scalding liquid does not seem to bother her at all. Sumia feels obligated to drink hers as well. She carefully brings the mug to her lips, mentally willing her coffee to cool down. She tips it back, and the hot liquid immediately burns her mouth. Sumia regrets her entire life leading up to this moment. She fights back tears as she forces herself to swallow.

“I feel like I owe you for all this,” she says, trying to distract herself from the agony.

“Owe me? For what?” Cordelia asks.

“Everything. You helped me out last night. Who knows what would’ve happened to me if you didn’t step in.”

“I would’ve helped anyone in your situation. It’s the right thing to do.”

“Oh.” Sumia frowns. “Well, I would do the same for you.”

“Thank you, Sumia. That’s all I needed to hear. Consider us even.”

“No way,” Sumia argues, as stubborn as ever, “I’m the one who should be thanking you. Please let me make this up to you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“Please?”

“Sumia, you don’t need to worry about it.”

“But I _want_ to worry about it.”

“You enjoy worrying, don’t you?”

“I don’t.”

Cordelia taps her chin in thought. “Well, if you _really_ want to, I wouldn’t mind if you invited me to lunch sometime. Preferably without Chrom involved.”

“I would prefer Chrom not be involved in anything.” Sumia laughs half-heartedly. “I can do lunch.”

“Lunch sounds good. I’ll buy.”

“Cordelia, you’re missing the point,” she huffs at her.

“Is enjoying your presence not enough?” Cordelia argues back.

“It’s not! Please let me buy you lunch.”

“I’m buying.”

“Why are you so stubborn?” Sumia groans, “We split the check fifty-fifty. I cover the tip. Deal?”

“No way. I cover the tip.”

“Ugh. Fine.” She gives in.

“Then, it’s a date. We’ll have to set up a time when we’re both free.”

\----

Sumia sits at her desk, typing up various papers for her sad excuse for a boss. She spends nearly half an hour typing an email for Chrom despite it being something he is completely capable of doing himself. People come and go around the office. The mailman walks in with a package. Someone else comes, completely lost and in the wrong building. Sumia directs them across the street. There is never a dull moment.

However, Sumia still finds herself bored. She squints as she types, trying to stay focused. It only gets harder as time goes on. Her spine starts to fold itself into a new shape. The screen burns her eyes. Her fingers clack on the keyboard in an aggravating rhythm. It drives her wild. She needs a break from the monotony. All the while, she listens to some executive talk her ear off about something that could easily be covered in an email. Of course, it can never be that simple.

A paper covers her computer screen, demanding her attention. Her fingers freeze on the keyboard, and she looks up to see Chrom looking down at her. He clears his throat before speaking. “I got this memo in an email from upstairs. It’s about a mandatory meeting for tomorrow. Could you go make copies for everyone? I think a physical copy will make sure everyone remembers. You know how a few of our co-workers consistently forget to check their emails.”

Of course she knows. However, Chrom is the most guilty for this crime.

He rambles on with more responsibilities for her, but Sumia is barely listening. She nods along, patiently waiting for him to leave.

“Right away, sir.” She takes the paper and stands up.

“You don’t have to call me sir,” Chrom says with a frown.

“Sorry. Habit.”

“I’m not just your boss, Sumia. We’re-”

“We’re exes. It changes our dynamic a lot.”

“I was going to say friends.”

“Now’s not the time to talk about this,” Sumia huffs. Her head spins.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ll be in my office,” says Chrom.

“And I’ll be in the copy room.”

“Sounds good to me. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Bye. Love you.” Fuck. Regret fills her entire body as her soul descends into another plane of existence. She smacks herself on the forehead. “Sorry. Force of habit.”

She quickly escapes to the copy room before Chrom can comment. She closes the door behind her and screams into her hands.

It is rare for anyone in the copy room to do work. Most people print directly from their computers, and with email, the copy machine is slowly becoming obsolete. However, what is an office without plenty of unnecessary paper? People find various excuses to loiter in the copy room when they need a break from the monotony. Today, no one seems to be taking advantage of that. Sumia sighs in relief as it is her turn to avoid responsibilities for once.

First, she takes a moment to catch her breath. Her heart races, and she desperately hopes no one in the office overheard their conversation. She would hate for Lissa to catch wind of the drama.

Eventually, she slides the paper into the copy machine. The machine beeps with each button pressed. It whirs to life, sucking the memo inside. Heat radiates off of it, and the machine whirs and rumbles. Two copies later, it beeps with distress.

“Jammed already?” Sumia mutters to herself. The machine continues to beep incessantly. A message flashes on the screen.

“Out of toner. Shit.” Her exclamation of frustration came out without her thinking. She quickly glances behind her to make sure no one heard. Once confirming the coast is clear, she continues her work. The toner, of course, is on the top shelf. The box sits atop cupboards of paper. Not a stool is in sight. More reason for Sumia to take her time. She tries to reach, only for her fingers to gently caress the box of toner. She reaches again, stretching her arms to their farthest limits, but their forbidden love is not meant to last. The box pushes back, and Sumia finally admits defeat.

“Do you need some help, my lady?” A voice startles her from behind.

She turns around, heart sinking. “Oh, Virion. It’s just you.”

“Just me? I will admit, that made my heart ache with sadness when you said that.” The man clutches at his chest as he laments. “I thought we were friends.”

More like desperation. Sumia has never seen a man so pitiful.

“We’re not friends,” she assures him.

“You’re right,” Virion states with his usual flair, “We’re so much more than that.”

“Even acquaintances seems to be pushing the line.” Sumia shakes her head.

“Oh, Sumia. Stop teasing me! One day, you’ll give in to my charm.”

“Hopefully, that will be the day after I die, and you can take these matters up with my corpse,” Sumia responds, “Why are you in here anyway? Just to bother me? I already told you I’m not eating lunch with you.”

“I came here to rescue you!” Virion exclaims, “I cannot stand on the sidelines when there is a damsel in distress.”

“You came in here to avoid work. That’s what we all do.”

“You couldn’t be more wrong. I sensed you needed help, so I came galloping in! Let me assist you with what troubles you.”

“That’s my therapist’s job. Not yours.”

“But you still need help reaching the toner. I have been blessed with the gift of height which is something you are lacking in. Perhaps we can help each other.”

“Just hurry up and grab the toner, please,” Sumia says, deciding to ignore the slight about her stature.

“With pleasure!” He carefully pushes the woman aside. Despite his one inch over Sumia, he still struggles to reach the box. He stands on his tiptoes to reach the box. His fingers barely grip onto it. It falls down, hitting him in the face. Her tumbles backwards onto the floor. Sumia stifles a laugh.

“Are you okay?” She asks, suddenly feeling bad for making fun of him.

“I’ve been injured! If only there were a fair maiden nearby to kiss me. Then, I would be magically healed.” Virion dramatically swoons. He’s fine.

Sumia rolls her eyes, losing any sympathy she had for him before. She takes the toner from him. “Too bad there’s no maiden in here to save you. Go get some ice from the freezer in the break room.”

“Sumia, you are the maiden I am referring to.”

“Do you ever stop?”

“I will continue as long as it takes to win your heart.”

“Don’t you have work to be doing?” She sighs, choosing to ignore him in favor of the copy machine. Eventually, he will leave on his own accord. If not, Sumia will glady shove him out the window. The drawer clicks open.

“What could be more important than spending time with you?” He responds, “Also you should really consider wearing skirts.”

“You are a disgusting little man.” Sumia holds back the urge to kick him square in his pathetic nuts. She channels that energy into fixing the copy machine. She bends down to replace the toner cartridge. The drawer closes with a loud snap.

“Must you always refuse me?” Virion starts again, watching her from the floor.

“Yes. For god sake, I already have a-”

“Virion.” Another voice interrupts the mess. Sumia tenses up as Chrom steps into the room. He gives Virion a stern look. “Don’t you have work to be doing? Get up off the floor.”

“I was just grabbing a paper I printed,” Virion excuses himself. He quickly scrambles up and straightens his back.

“From the floor?” Chrom raises a suspicious eyebrow at him.

“It’s a long story. You see-”

“Virion. Get to work.” His voice is stern, visibly shaking Virion.

“Y-yes. Of course, sir. Right away.” He hurries out of the room, leaving the two alone. Chrom lingers in the room, seeming as if he wants to say something. Sumia continues to copy papers, trying desperately to ignore the awkward aura filling the room. She stares at the copy machine, watching the papers pop out onto the tray. She silently wills Chrom away, but the man won’t move. He stands there watching her, trying to say something.

Sumia speaks up first, “Thank you, Chrom.”

The two are incredibly close. When did she step away from the copy machine?

He seems genuinely surprised at the statement. “I figured I should step in. I know how annoying he can get.”

“You really don’t. You’re not a woman.”

“You’re right. I’m not. My apologies.”

“It’s fine. I appreciate you trying.”

”I’ll leave you be.”

“Goodbye, Chrom.” Sumia takes extra care not to accidentally add an extra string of words.

Instead, Chrom leans down to kiss her chastely on the lips. Sumia’s eyes go wide as she kisses him back. They let go, immediately separating to other sides of the room. Sumia’s jaw hangs slack with shock. Chrom looks at her, equally surprised at his own actions.

“I am so sorry, Sumia. It’s a bad habit,” he immediately apologizes.

“I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have kissed you back,” Sumia answers, covering her mouth.

Chrom starts inching toward the door. His whole body radiates discomfort. “Let’s not talk about that again.”

“Agreed.”

He hastily exits the room. Sumia lets out a deep breath once the door shuts. The copy machine continues to shoot out papers in a hypnotic rhythm. Sumia stares down at it as her mind wanders. She feels as if she is not in her own body, but is watching herself from the other side of the room. It is not until a few minutes have passed that she realizes her papers are finished. They lie in the copy machine, warm to the touch. It is the only sense of joy she gets to feel throughout the day.

\----

Another day, another dime. Sumia sits at her desk, staring at her computer screen and wasting her youth away. Chrom’s emails won’t read themselves, especially if Chrom is the one supposed to be reading them. She organizes a schedule of meetings for the week as she picks through the messages. The work, as usual, is incredibly boring. Most of these meetings could be condensed down to a well written email, but no one cares enough to make it so. Her stomach grumbles as she forgot to eat breakfast. Well, she purposefully did not eat breakfast. Coffee is a decent substitute for a meal until a few hours later when her body cries for nutrients and makes her pay the price in pain. She glances down at the time. Still not time for her lunch break. She keeps typing, ignoring the pain in her stomach. Her eyes strain as she stares at the screen.

Her phone buzzes in her pocket. Sumia pauses mid-sentence, fingrs freezing in place. She quickly glances around to see if anyone is watching. With no Chrom in sight, she deems it safe to grab her phone. To her surprise, a text message from Cordelia flashes on the screen.

**Cordelia:** You still owe me lunch. Don’t think I forgot.

**Sumia:** I do sorry. I’ve been busy

**Cordelia:** Are you busy right now?

**Sumia:** Yes I’m at work

**Cordelia:** Scandalous. When is your lunch break?

**Sumia:** Whenever I want it to be

**Cordelia:** I could pick you up in half an hour.

**Sumia:** Sounds good

Sumia sweats as she sends her last message. Immediately, she shoves her phone into her pocket, not wanting to know her answer. She turns back to her computer. Her fingers shake with anxiety. Her email fills with typos. The phone rings, making her jump out of her seat. A loud crash fills the quiet office. A few heads turn to look, but they quickly look back to their own computers. Everyone is used to her clumsy outbursts by now.

The phone continues to ring. Sumia climbs back up to answer it. Of course, it is an important business call. She does her best to keep some semblance of normalcy as she converses to her boss’s boss about project deadlines and various housekeeping tasks. She kneels on the floor, trying to grab her chair with her free hand. By the time she manages to sit back down, the call has already been passed off to Chrom. She leans back in her seat and takes a deep breath.

Time passes by slowly yet not slow enough. Sumia finds herself becoming nervous over a simple lunch date with a friend. She double checks her phone again to make sure she sent Cordelia the correct time and address. Her stomach works itself into knots. She is unsure if she will even be able to eat after this. It worries her to the point where she can barely focus on her own work. Important emails sit unfinished. The pile of memos have yet to be dispersed. Not that it matters. Sumia’s work hardly gets noticed. Well, at least Chrom hasn’t noticed yet. She can excuse some slacking off without having to pay the price.

Finally, it is time. Cordelia texts her exactly as 12:30 hits. Leave it to Cordelia to be on time for everything. By now, Sumia finds herself more excited than anxious. She walks by Chrom’s office with a slight skip in her step.

“Where are you going looking so cheerful?” He asks.

“On my lunch break,” she answers with a smile, “See you in 45.”

“You’re going out for lunch?”

“Yeah. Is that weird?” It most definitely is weird. She doesn’t have a car or anyone to go to lunch with. She tries to play it cool.

“I’ve never seen you eat lunch anywhere but your desk. Which, by the way, is against company policy.”

“Oh, please. You do it too.” Sumia rolls her eyes.

“That’s our little secret.” Chrom pulls his salad back out from under his desk.

“Enjoy your lunch.”

“You too, honey. Er, nevermind. Just go. Take all the time you need.”

Cordelia waits for her by the curb. Sumia only vaguely remembers her car. It has been a while since they last saw each other. And, admittedly, it was not on the best terms. Sumia still regrets that night even if she can barely remember it. She hopes this lunch will make up for it. She needs to show Cordelia that she can be put together if she wants to be. This lunch will give her that chance she needs.

The window rolls down on the car, and Cordelia waves to her. Sumia waves back, quickly hopping into the passenger seat. Cordelia quickly turns down the radio and switches it to another channel.

“I have good news and bad news for you,” she starts off.

Sumia looks at her, not sure what to make of her. “Bad news?”

“I’ll start with the good news,” Cordelia says, “The good news is I already ordered lunch for us. The bad news is I haven’t managed to hit Chrom with my bulldozer yet. I’ve been trying so hard, but he’s surprisingly fast.

“Oh, that’s the bad news,” Sumia sighs with relief, “You almost gave me a heart attack. Don’t worry me like that.”

“Sorry. I was attempting humor. Cherche says I should stop doing that.”

“Who’s Cherche and why are they mean to you?”

“She’s my other friend and coworker. We tease each other all the time for fun. Kinda like how I tease you,” her friend answers.

“I can hardly call that teasing. It’s more like bad flirting.” Sumia laughs.

“Would you like me to stop?”

“No thank you, but I would rather you take me to dinner first.”

“How about lunch instead?”

“Deal.”

To Sumia’s surprise, they end up eating lunch in the park. They sit on the bench quietly eating. Cordelia seems starved. She wolfs down her sandwich in record time before pulling out another one. Sumia leans back and enjoys the scenery. The world goes on around them. City noises fill the air. A few clouds float overhead. Birds flock to the ground, hoping to grab a few morsels of food from the two women. Cordelia seems less than willing to share, but Sumia cannot help but give in to their hungry stares. She rips off a piece of bread and tosses it to the birds.

“Oh, you’re one of those,” Cordelia comments with a scoff.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sumia asks her.

“You feed the pigeons.”

“And?”

“Now they’re gonna flock all around us.”

“There’s nothing wrong with pigeons. They’re a domesticated bird that us humans outgrew, and now we’re supposed to hate them for depending on us still. We did that to them. They didn’t do anything wrong. I think the least I could do is give them a piece of bread for their troubles. Treat them like friends.

Cordelia takes a moment to process the statement. “You really like pigeons. I’ve never seen you so worked up.”

“I do.” Sumia tosses the birds another piece of bread. “My grandpa used to keep pigeons. Everytime I see one, it reminds me of him.”

“I see.” Her friend nods. “I’m sorry for my pigeon hate. I will be more mindful in the future.”

“You really mean that?”

“I do, but it will take a while.”

“Usually, people just call me crazy for liking pigeons.”

“Really? Even your friends?”

“Sully still doesn’t like pigeons. Chrom certainly didn’t,” Sumia says the second half slightly quieter.

“That’s silly of them. To not listen to your feelings and take what you say seriously.” Cordelia picks off a piece of her own bread and tosses it to the flock.

“It’s okay. It doesn’t come up enough anyway, and it’s not like I can keep pigeons myself.”

“Why can’t you?” She asks.

“My apartment doesn’t have roof access.”

“That’s a shame. Maybe one day you’ll be able to, and no one will be able to complain about it.”

“I hope so,” Sumia lets out a tired sigh. She throws her head back to stare up at the clouds. “I don’t want to go back to work.”

“Why not?”

“Why would anyone want to go back to work, Cordelia? Don’t tell me you enjoy your job.”

“Maybe a little bit. Is it because of Chrom?”

Sumia bursts out laughing. “Believe it or not, he’s the least of my problems at the office.”

“Really?” Cordelia responds, seeming surprised.

“Don’t get me started on all the drama around the office. I’ve already told Sully a million times. She’s probably sick of hearing about it by now.”

“Then tell me.”

“Are you sure?”

She shrugs. “My coworkers aren’t the gossiping type. It’s hard to hear anything over the constant noise. I’m curious as to what office drama is like.”

“Well, it’s mostly because of Lissa and Maribelle. They’re the queens of gossiping. They spend more time talking than working. It’s all you can hear some days. It drives me wild.”

“Does Chrom not know?”

“He pretends not to hear it because Lissa is his dearest little sister.”

“That’s not fair at all.” Cordelia frowns.

Sumia continues to ramble, “I know, right? I try to keep a low profile so they won’t talk about me, but they stick their noses in _everyone’s_ business. They need to know who’s dating who. They tried to claim me and Virion were dating one time.”

She scrunches her nose at the thought.

Cordelia perks an eyebrow up. “And Virion is?”

“An idiot who doesn't know how to keep it in his pants. He’s absolutely infatuated with me. I don’t know what to do with him.”

“Report him to HR.”

“I already did. They never did anything.”

“Then, I’ll talk to him.” Her friend glares off into the distance as if trying to scope him out.

“No, Cordelia, it’s fine. I can handle myself,” Sumia says.

“You’re right. I’m sorry,” the redhead apologizes, “I know you’re a fully capable woman.”

“I’m just worried I’ll actually start dating him. I know he makes good money. Maybe I could get used to him-”

Suddenly, Cordelia puts a hand on either of her shoulders and forces Sumia to look at her. She has a scary look in her eye. “Sumia. Do not settle for that man. You are worth so much more than someone you have to ‘get used to’. You deserve someone that makes you happy.”

“But-”

“Stop that. I will slap you.”

“If you slap me, we’re breaking up,” Sumia deadpans.

Both women pause for a moment before bursting out laughing.

“We should do this more often,” she says, “I miss having someone to spend my lunches with.”

“Me too,” Cordelia agrees, “I don’t mind eating lunch with my coworkers, but sometimes I just need to be around someone other than a bunch of men. And Cherche.”

“I have the opposite problem, but you’re much easier to talk to than anyone else I know. Well, Sully too. She’s my best friend, but she can be a little, uh, difficult sometimes.”

“Sully is the one I met at the bar, right? The butch redhead?”

“Yeah. Her. She’s my best friend.”

“It seems you have a thing for redheads,” Cordelia muses. She gives her friend a smug grin.

“What? No. Just because both my friends are redheads doesn’t mean I have a thing for them,” Sumia answers defensively.

“We’ll see about that.” Her friend covers her mouth to hold in a laugh. She fails to hide a smile.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

\----

The first thing Sumia sees when walking into the building is Lissa and Maribelle waiting by the elevator. Her heart sinks. Of course, they all had to return from their lunch breaks at the exact same time. Lissa waves at her, and Maribelle gives her a smile that feels more disingenuous than anything else. Not that Sumia’s smile back is any more genuine.

“Sumia! You’re just the gal I was looking for!” Lissa seems to be bouncing on her feet with excitement.

“You were looking for me? I highly doubt that,” Sumia answers calmly. She wills the elevator to come faster.

“I was! Really!” Lissa pulls out her phone and shows her a picture of a man’s Facebook profile. “Check out this guy I met. He’s totally into me, but he’s totally not my type. Want me to set you two up? You could use a good date. It’s been awhile since you and Chrom-”

“That’s not necessary. Thanks,” Sumia politely refuses her before she can finish the sentence.

“Really?” Maribelle seems genuinely surprised. “For a man, he’s not terribly ugly. I thought for sure you would say yes.”

“I’m just not interested.” Especially if the man in question is someone Maribelle knows.

“Not interested?” She raises a suspicious eyebrow at her. “Are you seeing someone?”

“Sumia, you’re dating someone?” Lissa butts in, “You gotta tell us! Who is it?”

“I’m not telling you,” Sumia sighs.

After what feels like a milenia, the elevator doors finally open. Part of her wants to take the stairs instead, but the other two women practically shove her into the elevator with them. The doors close, trapping them inside.

“So you are dating someone,” Maribelle confirms.

“Who?” Lissa asks again.

“I don’t want to tell you,” Sumia nearly whispers. She stares at the floor number. Slowly, the numbers tick up. The elevator seems to be running slower than usual today.

“Why not?” Maribelle argues with her, “You have no reason not to tell us.”

Sumia has a million reasons not to tell them. Still, she remains calm. “I’m not sure how serious we are yet. We haven’t been dating long, and I would hate to go around telling everyone only for it not to work out by next week.”

“You can tell us anyway. We won’t tell anyone. It’ll be our little secret.”

That, of course, was a blatant lie. At this point, they’re gonna go around spreading one rumor or another, so Sumia might as well choose which lie they spread. However, she has no good options. She lets out an exhausted breath.

“Is it someone who works at the office? Is it Virion?” Lissa guesses.

Sumia pauses, thrown off by the audacity of the suggestion. “I-”

“Oh, my goodness. I never thought I would see the day you actually agreed to go on a date with him!” Maribelle gasps.

“I’m not dating Virion!” Sumia bursts out, visually dry heaving at the thought, “Please never say that again. I will literally pay you money to not even so much as hint at it.”

“Then, who are you dating?”

“Someone else.”

“ _Someone else_ ,” Maribelle says with great interest, “Who?”

“Yeah. Who?” Lissa pesters her. She suddenly gasps as a realization hits her, “Don’t tell me you got back together with Chrom. He’s been acting differently around you lately. I could’ve sworn I saw you two kiss the other day.”

Sumia desperately glances back up at the floor number. This ride is endless. She is sure this is what hell feels like.

“He hasn’t been acting differently,” she says, “And I’m not dating anyone in the office, so stop guessing. It’s useless.

“Oh, honey. I will guess every man in this city if I have to,” Maribelle responds, stepping much closer than she should, “Spit it out. I’m _dying_ to know.”

_Then, die._ Is Sumia’s initial thought. Her response is much tamer.

“Well, guessing every man in the city will get you nowhere.” She covers her mouth to hide a quiet laugh.

The elevator dings as it comes to a stop. The inertia nearly knocks Sumia over. Her legs stumble as she tries to keep her balance. She leans on a railing for balance. The doors open, and Sumia sees her opportunity for escape. It’s like the gates of heaven just opened before her, only to immediately close as Chrom, of all people, steps into the elevator. Sumia’s heart sinks lower.

“Oh, Chrom!” Lissa beams at her brother, “We were just talking about you!”

He nervously glances at Sumia before responding. “Really? I hope it was something good.”

“Never.” his sister laughs.

He does not question further. Instead, he stands quietly in front of the door, waiting for the elevator to move once more. An awkward silence fills the cramped box. Sumia starts to suffocate.

Finally, they reach their floor. Sumia escapes the crowded elevator. She catches her breath after being smothered by the pestering of her favorite coworkers. Her desk feels like paradise compared to the last five minutes of her life.


End file.
